The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1887-10-01
THE TIGER OF THE SEA.
It's Love OF Slaughter and It's
Mode Of Assault.


aloft the cry "Thcrc she blowsr' Even
the man at the wheel started, and let
the ship up point or so, and Us the
mate shouted: "Whcrc awayP" and the
reply came back dead ahead" every
man was ON deck. All was excitement
and activity.
1t was the first whale the crew had
seen for a long time, and from the
spouting that now observed again, the
old whalers averrcd that it was a fright
whale, which meant the great Sic
holds whale, Batgn0 .Sieboldii, the
right whale Of the northwest
The ship was headed after the huge
animal, and when it bore off to the
windward, so that she could not follow,
the boats were manned, and with
will the crew bore away in one of them.
For two or three hours the oarsmen
pulled before they reached the cratic
game; but finally the whale came to a
stop, perhaps for rest and a moment
later boat was alongside, and the har
poon was planted deep in the thick
side of the whale. A rush of water,
and the rope was Kissing from the boat
like a living thing; then came the long
chase, that ended in the conquest of
the huge animal. The ship. that had
been beating up, now came within one
hundred yards, and preparations were
made to haul it alongside. This was
almost accompl shed, when, without
o.-,,sr, th< 70, f.11nI
strange black forms, with curious fins
that projected from the ocean like
masts A novice or green hand might
have taken them tor young whales,
which they certainly rescmblcd in some
respects; but the whalers knew better,
and the shout of "Orcasr' went up
from the boats, followed by q hurried
cry for spades and lances.
Another boat left the ship, but before
It reached the whale, the great mons
ter, though dead. was moving about in
q seemingly miraculous manner. Now
it seemed attempting to disappear I'M
der water, bobbing up and down in a
curious way, while the orcas ,darted
over it, now entirely out of water,
flashing in the sunlight, now Swimming
along, with dorsal fin cutting the water
like knife, presenting most ami
mated scene. The boats drew along
side the whale, and soon the men were
engaged in fierce struggle with the
new enemies. Blows from harpoons,
spades and lances seemed TO be OF no
avail, though they were piled with the
greatest violence. The orcas dashed
among the boats without the
slightest fear, and it was evident now
that a fight for the great game was in
progress. The whale had been killed
by the whalers. but the orcas claimed
it.
Every moment the orcas increased
in numbers, and they rushed at the in
animate body with the greatest fury,
biting out great pieces of the flesh,
seizing it by the tail, fiippers, lips, and
every available part 1t was evident
that if they did not carry the body
away, they would devour it
Some of the men now leaped upon the
body, and from this vantage ground
struck at the animals, but with
ont tho slightest effect The heavy
blows did moi daunt them in the Least.
indeed the nresencc Of blood from
friend or foe seemed rather to snnr
tbem nm to f,.esb ondoovor aud Sosp,to
the fact that scores Of them were
wounded, they pulled the whale below
the surface. and the men had TO lean to
the boats for their lives N avoid the at.
tacks Of tho orcas and shorts N A. had
also gathered 81 tho foost In tow
moments the great whale over s;xtv
feet In lenotb was dracoed art;relv
out Of sicht bv these marine wbalers
that Ike vcr;tahje n;ratas had rpsh cd
in and carried Of Tho hootv
In all classes ~ animals we find cor.
tain onas whose mart in the ooono,nv .,
rature seems ~ he that of nrev;no
unon al, tho rest In Tho fshes ne
have the sharks and otbers onono the
land animals the lions and tigers
amonc The birds he eagle and ;p th9
insects the spiders. So when we come